Backpack for boots and ski equipment

ABSTRACT

A backpack for stowing boots and carrying skis or snowboards, including a body having a generally trapezoidal rear wall, a rectangular top wall, a rectangular bottom wall, a front wall having a rubberized outer surface, and quadrilateral side walls; a pair of internal flexible boot pockets associated with the quadrilateral side walls and having an internal vertical side wall, internal front and rear walls, the internal walls being interconnected at first edges and sewn along their peripheral outer edges to the side edges of the top, bottom, rear, and front walls, whereby a selectively openable and closeable boot compartment is formed by each of the quadrilateral side walls and the pockets.

The present invention relates to backpack constructions especiallyconfigured to carry ski or snowboard boots and snowboards or snow skisby a skier/snowboarder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The state of the backpack art is well-developed and includes teachingsof various sizes, shapes, and carrying strap configurations toaccommodate specific loading situations and particular equipment to betransported including sporting goods and the like. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 5,881,708 is directed to an arrangement for carrying bulky,heavy footwear such as ski boots along with a snowboard. U.S. Pat. No.6,010,051 discloses a backpack for carrying a snowboard, skateboard orskis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,364 discloses another arrangement for carryinga snowboard with backpack straps.

Despite the many developments in backpacks, there remains a need for anefficient carrier of bulky boots and other ski equipment, a snowboard orsnow skis, which backpack is compact, easy to pack and unpack, andcomfortable to use.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A new and improved backpack is provided which essentially includes abasic backpack shell construction, one having a stiff back panelsupporting a major storage compartment projecting outwardly therefromand carried on the user's back by a pair of padded shoulder straps intowhich basic shell a pair of tandem collapsible boot pockets areintegrated at opposite sides. The front face of the basic backpackshell, is rubberized or otherwise provided with a frictional surfaceagainst which skis or a snowboard may be secured by adjustable strapsextending across the upper and lower regions of the front face.

Access to the backpack interior is provided by a hinged top panelsecured by zippers. Full access to the boot pockets is provided byzipper openings extending along the front vertical edges of the backpackand along the top panel.

The new backpack is compact, yet efficiently provides stowage room forboots, gear, and skis or a snowboard.

For a more complete appreciation of the present invention andunderstanding of its advantages, reference should be made to thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the new backpack;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the new backpack with one of theboot pockets open; and

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the backpack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The new and improved backpack is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes aclosed, generally cubic body 10 formed by six walls, including a flat,horizontal, rectangular bottom wall 11; parallel quadrilateral sidewalls 12, 13; a front wall 14; a rear wall 15; and a top wall 16extending between the front and rear walls.

In accordance with the invention, identical separate boot pockets 17 areformed from waterproof fabric at the opposite sides of the backpack byboot bags 18 sewn along the inner peripheral edges of the body 10. Eachof the pockets 17 is three-dimensional, having top, bottom, inner andside planar portions suitably sized to contain a ski boot B. The pockets17, 18 are accessed by and closed off by the side walls 12, 13,respectively, which are connected to the front and top walls 14, 16 byelongated zippers 19, 20 extending for full depth and full height of thebody as shown in FIG. 1. Opening and closing of the zippers 19, 20provides ready access to the pockets 17 for storage and removal of bootsas shown in FIG. 2.

The side walls 12, 13 have separate liners 21 sewn or otherwise fastenedto their inner surfaces to form closed utility storage compartments 22accessible through the opening of horizontal full depth zippers 23.

The inside of the body 10 forms a main storage compartment which isaccessed through a U-shaped panel 24 articulated to the top wall 16along the upper edge of rear wall 15 and connected to the top wall byU-shaped zipper 25. The panel 24 itself may be lined to form anothersmall utility compartment (not shown) if desired.

In accordance with the invention, the face of the front wall 14 istreated or otherwise covered with an elastomeric material to provide arubberized high friction, anti-slip surface 15 for engaging and helpingto secure skis or a snowboard. Adjustable clamping straps 30, 31 areanchored to tabs 32, 33 articulated to the edges of the wall 14. Thestraps are comprised of opposed inner hooked and outer looped Velcro®fastener portions 34, 35. The straps 30, 31 pass through buckles 36, 37mounted on tabs 38, 39 articulated to the opposite edges of the wall 14.The effective lengths of the straps 30, 31 may be adjusted by varyingthe length of face-to-face engagement and locking contact of the hookedand looped portions, as will be understood.

In addition to the clamping straps, a U-shaped securing band 40 of nylonwebbing is sewn to the bottom edge of the front panel 14 and anauxiliary adjustable holding strap 50 is mounted by a buckle 51articulated to the top edge of the wall 14 by webbing 52 sewn to the topof the wall 14. The strap 50 passes through the buckle 51 and has abuckle 53 at one end and facing, selectively engaged hooked and loopedVelcro® portions 54, 55 at the other end. The strap 50 may form aclosed, selectively adjustable band by passing the hooked portion 55through the buckle 53 and engaging the looped portion 54 of the straps.

The backpack body 10 includes a pair of padded, wide shoulder straps 68,69 secured to the rear wall 15 through webbing straps 60, 61 at lowerportions by D-rings 62, 63 attached by tabs 64, 65 sewn to the edges ofthe rear wall 15 and snap-fasteners 78 connected to the lower ends ofthe straps 68, 69. The upper ends of the shoulder straps are sewnbeneath the upper edges of the back and reinforced by a web panel 80.Buckles 66, 67 articulated to the upper edges of the back wall 15support auxiliary straps 81, 82 sewn to straps 68, 69.

The shoulder straps 68, 69 are selectively interconnected by adjustableharness straps 70, 71 having a blade fastener hardware 72, 73.

An upper utility pouch (not shown) may be sewn at the top of the body 10and accessed by zipper 75. A carrying handle 76 is attached to the panel24 by rivets 77 as shown.

In use by a skier or snowboarder, the new backpack may be easily loadedby placing boots in the side boot pockets 17, 18 by opening and closingthe zippers 19, 20 which extend for the full height and depth of thepockets.

Smaller articles such as eyeglasses, goggles, cell phones and the likemay be packed in the smaller compartments 22. Clothing may be stowed inthe body 10 itself through opening the panel 24 by zipper 25.

In accordance with the invention, a snowboard on skis may be securedfirmly to the backpack body 10 for transport by clamping the skis orboard against the rubberized surface 15 of the front wall by tighteningthe straps 30, 31 against the skis/board. In addition, the straps 50 maybe used to hold the skis/board against the wall 14.

It should be understood, of course, that the specific form of theinvention herein illustrated and described is intended to berepresentative only, as certain changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly,reference should be made to the following appended claims in determiningthe full scope of the invention.

1. A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards, comprising: (a) a bodyhaving a generally trapezoidal rear wall, a rectangular top wall, arectangular bottom wall, a front wall having a rubberized outer surface,and quadrilateral side walls; (b) the top wall being articulated to therear wall upper edge and the front wall upper edge; (c) the bottom wallbeing articulated to the rear wall lower edge and the front wall loweredge; (d) the side walls being articulated to the vertical end edges ofthe rear wall and horizontal end edges of the bottom wall; (e) zippermeans selectively connecting the top and front edges of the side wallsto the side edges of the top and front panels; (f) a pair of internalflexible boot pockets associated with side walls and having an internalvertical side wall, internal front and rear walls, said internal wallsbeing interconnected at first edges and sewn along their peripheralouter edges to the side edges of the top, bottom, rear, and front walls,whereby a selectively openable and closeable boot compartment is formedby each of said side walls and said pockets.
 2. A backpack for boots andskis or snowboards of claim 1, in which (a) an access panel is formed insaid top panel and is selectively fastened thereto by a U-shaped zippermeans whereby access is provided to the interior of the body between theboot pockets when the zipper means is opened.
 3. A backpack for bootsand skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which (a) adjustable strapsextending across the width of the front wall are secured in spacedrelation at the upper and lower portions thereof.
 4. A backpack forboots and skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which (a) a ski strap loopfastening means is secured at a juncture of the top and front walls. 5.A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which (a) acarrying handle is secured to the top wall; and (b) shoulder straps aresecured to the rear wall.